Apparatus for the removal of film sheet from its folded wrapper



Jan. 22, 1963 K. M. SANO APPARATUS FOR THE REMOVAL OF A FILM SHEET FROM ITS FOLDED WRAPPER Filed Jan. 26, 1960 United States Patent M s,o74,713 APZARATUS FOR THE REMOVAL ill A FllLir/i SHEET FROM ITS FGLDED V /RAPPER Karel Marcel Sane, Borsheek-Antwerp, Belgium, assigns: to Gevaert Photo-Producten NEH, Mortsel, Belgium, 2 Belgian company Filed Jan. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 4,7437 Claims priority, application Netherlands Jan. 3d, 1959 5 Claims. (Cl. 271-64) The invention relates to the removal of a film packed in a folded wrapper from the same, and more particularly to an apparatus for removing from its package in a lighted room each time one film of a film pack, each film being packed in a folded wrapper without exposing the film to light.

It is generally known in the graphic industry to remove sheets from a pile in an automatic way by using sucking cups, rollers, compressed air, etc. If such a method is applied to a pack of unprocessed radiographic films, packed in folded wrappers, the film is taken from the pack by action of the appropriate mechanism on the upper half of the folded wrapper. The removal of the film sheet from the folded wrapper can further proceed in a simple way, by causing the gripping mechanism to lift the upper half of the folded wrapper, to fold it away, etc. If, however, the removal of the packed film sheets from the pack is carried out by a mechanism which treats the packed film sheet as a whole, e.g. by a moving bar which each time pushes off a packed film sheet from the pack, or pushes out under the pack, both the film sheet and the folded wrapper are removed together, i.e. not separated from each other.

Now, it has been found that the folded wrapper and the film sheet can be separated in a simple way by means of an apparatus consisting of a space the vertical wall of which, borders the film container, posseses a horizontal entrance slit through which each time a packed film is supplied from the supply pack of the film container, the facing vertical wall of which is provided with two slot-shaped apertures separated by a horizontally mounted separating knife which in respect of the entrance slit is situated at such level that the front edge of the film, on account of the rigidity of this film, will pass over the separating knife, and the lower part of the folded wrapper under the film, will pass under the separating knife whereby the upper slot gives access to a light-tight channel for the further guidance of the separated film sheet, and the lower slot gives access to a light-tight device for carrying off the folded wrapper whereby this carrying oif occurs via a stationary member which cooperates with the separating knife so that the folded wrapper is guided between two light-tight mounted rollers which remove it from the apparatus.

The apparatus according to the present invention is described hereinafter and shown the accompanying drawings the sole FIGURE of which is a vertical crosssection of an apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus according to the present invention consists of a light-tight cabinet l, with a front wall 2 with an inlet slit 3, a back wall with two removal slots, 4 for removing the film sheet 24 and the folded wrapper 25, and side walls 6. The separation between these two removal slots is formed by a horizontally mounted separating knife 8 which passes into a wall 9. Behind the slot 5 are mounted two rollers i and 11 respectively on the shafts 12 and 13. These rollers which press against each other are mounted light-tight and remove the folded wrapper.

The apparatus according to the present invention is preceded by a mechanism which introduces in turn the Patented Jan. 22, 1%63 packed film through the entrance slit 3. The light-tightness of the connection is ensured by a tightening frame lid made of supple or elastic material. A slide 38 renders this mechanism light-tight as long as it is not fixed to the apparatus according to the present invention.

The expulsion mechanism consists in the given constituction of a rectangular frame 15 with top plate 16 enclosed by a light-tight cabinet 17, with side Walls 18 and lid 19, a front wall 20 and a back wall 21. Between the walls 20, 21 and the top plate 16 are provided slits 22 and 23, the height of which being so adjusted to let through one single film in its paper packing. In the lower packing, the film 24 and the folded Wrapper 25 are indicated which is not repeated for the other packings 26. Normally, forty packings can be stored.

The top plate in is provided with spaced, parallel slots extending longitudinal of the plate. An endless chain 2? runs in each of the slots. To these chains is connected a cross bar 31 showing an excavation at the front side and a rounding at the back side. The chains run over chain wheels 3 4:3 mounted in spaced position on the shafts 3435 and in alignment with the slots in plate 16.

In order to push out a film packing, the shaft 34 is turned arrow-wise. The cross bar 31 pushes forward the lower film 24 with its folded wrapper 25. The slits 22 and 23 are accurately adjusted according to the thickness of the film packing with a small tolerance of about +15% of the packing thickness. Thus, only one film at the same time can be pushed out.

The film 24 is more or less rigid and bends only little so that it will follow a path 36 on expulsion. The upper part 25a of the folded wrapper 25 rests on the film until the latter falls into the space 4. The lower half 25b of the folded wrapper is free, bends downward and follows the path 37. The separating knife 8 ensures the full separation between the film sheet and the folded wrapper. The film is freely available on the path 36. The folded wrapper is removed by the rollers li, i1. The driving of the chains 29 and the rollers 1tll1 can e.g. occur electrically, a suitable switching mechanism ensuring the successive movements of these parts.

The slot 4 can preferably connect to an intermediate channel giving access to a device which brings the film sheet directly into an empty cassette 39. Such device is described in my copending Application Serial No. 4,694, filed ianuary 26, 1960, for Cassette Loader. in this way, an automatic cassette loading system is obtained by starting from a pack of X-ray film packed in folded wrapper. The intervention of the laboratory aid in loading the cassette is hereby limited to laying an empty cassette onto the opened lid of the cassette loader. The cassette is then further automatically opened, loaded and closed.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for separating a wrapper element from a wrapped film sheet, said wrapper being folded about said sheet and being less rigid than said sheet comprising a first light tight cabinet means for supporting and individually feeding said wrapped film sheets through an opening in one wall of said cabinet means, a second light tight cabinet means abutting said first cabinet means and having an opening aligned with said first mentioned opening, said second cabinet means having upper and lower passageways for receiving said film sheet and wrapper respectively, separating means between said passageways, said feeding means initially directing said film sheet above the separating means and the lower part of the wrapper below the separating means, and means in said lower passageway for stripping said wrapper from said film sheet.

2. An apparatus for separating a wrapper element from a wrapped film sheet, said wrapper being folded about said film sheet and being less rigid than said sheet com prising a first light tight cabinet means for supporting and individually feeding said wrapped film sheets through an opening in one wall of said cabinet means, a second light tight cabinet means abutting said first cabinet means and having an opening aligned with said first mentioned opening, said second cabinet means having upper and lower passageways for receiving said film sheet and wrapper respectively, a knife intermediate said passageways, said feeding means initially directing said film sheet above said knife and the lower part of the wrapper below said knife, and means in said lower passageway for stripping said wrapper from said film sheet.

3. An apparatus for separating a Wrapper element from a wrapped film sheet, said wrapper being folded about said film sheet and being less rigid than said film sheet, comprising a first light tight cabinet means for separating and individually feeding said Wrapped film sheets through an opening in one wall of said cabinet means, a second light tight cabinet means abutting said first cabinet means and having an opening aligned with said first mentioned opening, said second cabinet means having upper and lower passageways for receiving said film sheet and wrapper respectively, a knife intermediate said passageways, a guide member in said second cabinet means in alignment with and spaced from said knife, said feeding means initially directing said film sheet above said knife and saidguide member and the lower part of the wrapper below said knife and said guide member, and a pair of rollers mounted in said lower passageway for stripping said wrapper from said film sheet.

4. An apparatus for separating a wrapper element from a wrapped film sheet, said wrapper being folded about said film sheet and being less rigid than said film sheet, comprising a first light tight cabinet means for separating and individually feeding said Wrapped film sheets through an opening in one wall of said cabinet means, a second light tight cabinet means abutting said first cabinet means and having an opening aligned with said first mentioned opening, said second cabinet means having upper and lower passageways for receiving said film sheet and wrapper respectively, a knife intermediate said passageways, a guide member in said second cabinet means in alignment with and spaced from said knife, said feeding means initially directing said film sheet above said knife and said guide member and the lower part of the wrapper below said knife and said guide member, a pair of rollers mounted in said lower passageway for stripping said Wrapper from said film sheet, and a cassette loader for receiving said film from said upper passageway.

5. An apparatus for separating a wrapper element from a wrapped film sheet, said Wrapper being folded about said film sheet and being less rigid than said film sheet, comprising a first light tight cabinet means for separating and individually feeding said wrapped film sheets through an opening in one wall of said cabinet means, a second light tight cabinet means abutting said first cabinet means and having an opening aligned with said first mentioned opening, mean-s for maintaining said first cabinet means and said second cabinet means in light tight relation, means on said first cabinet means for closing said first mentioned opening and for maintaining said first cabinet means light tight independent of said second cabinet means, said second cabinet means having upper and lower passageways for receiving said film sheet and wrapper respectively, a knife intermediate said passageways, a guide member in said second cabinet means in alignment with and spaced from said knife, said feeding means initially directing said film sheet above said knife and said guide member and the lower part of the wrapper below said knife and said guide member, a pair of rollers mounted in said lower passageway for stripping said wrapper from said film sheet and a cassette loader for receiving said film from said upper passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,292,521 Horn Aug. 11, 1942 2,317,655 Van Den Brock Apr. 27, 1943 2,321,156 Powers June 8, 1943 2,447,468 Reyniers Aug. 7, 1948 2,641,980 Brunk June 16, 1953 2,822,170 Franz Feb. 14, "1958 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A WRAPPER ELEMENT FROM A WRAPPED FILM SHEET, SAID WRAPPER BEING FOLDED ABOUT SAID SHEET AND BEING LESS RIGID THAN SAID SHEET COMPRISING A FIRST LIGHT TIGHT CABINET MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND INDIVIDUALLY FEEDING SAID WRAPPED FILM SHEETS THROUGH AN OPENING IN ONE WALL OF SAID CABINET MEANS, A SECOND LIGHT TIGHT CABINET MEANS ABUTTING SAID FIRST CABINET MEANS AND HAVING AN OPENING ALIGNED WITH SAID FIRST MENTIONED OPENING, SAID SECOND CABINET MEANS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER PASSAGEWAYS FOR RECEIVING SAID FILM SHEET AND WRAPPER RESPECTIVELY, SEPARATING MEANS BETWEEN SAID PASSAGEWAYS, SAID FEEDING MEANS INITIALLY DIRECTING SAID FILM SHEET ABOVE THE SEPARATING MEANS AND THE LOWER PART OF THE WRAPPER BELOW THE SEPARATING MEANS, AND MEANS IN SAID LOWER PASSAGEWAY FOR STRIPPING SAID WRAPPER FROM SAID FILM SHEET. 